{
  "id": 10517308,
  "title": "Wemby ready for NBA Spurs to move rivals in climb to top",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/wemby-ready-for-nba-spurs-to-move-rivals-in-climb-to-top",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-28T19:32:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/wemby-ready-nba-spurs-move-193218905.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Victor Wembanyama, the French sensation playing for the San Antonio Spurs, expressed his determination to challenge the Spurs' rivals. The towering center, who is 7-foot-4, acknowledged that he still grapples with sleepless nights following the Spurs' loss in the NBA Finals to the New York Knicks in June. Despite this setback, Wembanyama is confident that the Spurs will be stronger this season, stating, \"We're fighting for the top spot on the mountain. We're going to have to move people in our way.\"\n\nThe rookie, who was selected first overall in the NBA Draft, made his debut in the NBA Finals during his third season. However, the Spurs were defeated by the Knicks in five games. \"I couldn't imagine better motivation,\" Wembanyama said. \"We're in a great spot, very hopeful, very ambitious, and ready. We won the West last year and we don't want to do anything less this year. We want to be the first seed and we want to keep fighting for the top spot.\"\n\nWembanyama recognized the emotional turmoil that comes with such a competitive climate. \"We have to go through some emotions and some of that you have to go through alone,\" he admitted. \"It's hard to find sleep sometimes, hard emotions. There's a point where you accept that you have to go through it and feel all of it.\" The 22-year-old Frenchman felt that the Spurs' 22-game playoff run last season helped him mature. \"It feels like going through something of great magnitude,\" he said. \"I never played so many games or so many minutes. We still pushed through it. I'm in better shape than I could have expected right now just off experiences and growing.\"\n\nWembanyama is ready to be the hunted rather than chasing other favored clubs. \"It feels like we're in our place. It feels normal,\" he said. \"There are high expectations around us. We will play each team at their best every night. No one will be surprised by our performances now.\" As a rookie, Wembanyama averaged NBA career highs of 25.0 points and 11.5 rebounds, along with 3.5 assists, 3.1 blocked shots, and 1.1 steals per game for the Spurs last season.",
  "summary": "Victor Wembanyama said he still struggles to sleep sometimes following San Antonio's loss to New York in June's NBA Finals, but the French superstar predicts the Spurs will be tougher this season.The 7-foot-4 (2.24m) center reached his first NBA Finals in only his third season since being selected first overall in the NBA Draft, but the Spurs fell to the Knicks in five games.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}